Treehouse: first wall up

 It may not seem like it, but this has been quite an ordeal. It's especially tricky now the school holidays are here and the boys both take a keen interest. Ben in particular likes to climb up 7 or 8 times a day.

Another treehouse pic

 

Treehouse phase 1

What have I done? Can't see any future A&E visits, can you?

I based this design on one from the highly recommended "The Dangerous Book for Boys" but struggled with my slanting and twisted willow tree. Eventually I had to purchase a laser level to get everything straight.

The walls should be easy, but I'm worried about the roof. This will be tricky, just because it will be so far off the (uneven) ground.

Luckiest pervert in England?

There's an old joke:

A man visiting Belfast is approached by a tough looking local. "Are you Protestant or Catholic?" he asks. The man considers that whatever he answers, there's a big chance he'll be wrong and get beaten up, and eventually is inspired to answer "Jewish". The other pulls out a gun a shoots him, exclaiming "I must be the luckiest Arab in Belfast.".

I was reminded of this yesterday when I was working in my garden and a passing woman asked me about the lack of privacy the glass in my house affords. I told her that if someone was passing at 11 o'clock at night and happened to catch a glimpse, from 80 yards, of me getting ready bed, then that person would indeed be the luckiest hairy-fat-bald-fancying pervert in England.

Old map of Lock area

I found this old OS map of Pigeon Lock. Dunno the date.

Of minor note:

• our garden used to be part of the field behind


• the pub/house next door used to be close to the river (where it flooded)


• the old path is shown as a ford on the other side of my house

Christopher Hitchens on Free Speech

A fine use of 20 mins. Very un-PC, but I think it's fantastic.

House hunting? Beware the Grim Reaper

This is classic.

Latest Flooding

More of the same, I know, but this is now higher than I've ever seen it before.

Tesco upped fruit prices before special offer

Tesco upped fruit prices before special offer

Common scam, apparently. A BOGOF will get loads of extra sales and most people will assume a bargain. But if the price has been doubled before?

Even better for the retailer, they can later ("legitimately) reoffer the product at "50% off", even though this price is possibly even higher than the original.

The return of God?

I don't normally expect to read such interesting stuff from journalists, let alone Mr Humphrys (I'm not a big fan), but this is an exception.